Circuit controlling mechanism for rotatably adjustable spotlights



Feb. 26, 1952 CIRCUIT coNTRoLLTNG MECHANISM FOR ROTATABLY ADJUSTABLESPOTLIGHTS 4.1m mi i, ki

Patented Feb. 26, 1952 PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT CONTROLLING MECHANISM FORROTATABLY ADJUSTABLE SPOTLIGHTS Paul F. Early, Dayton, Ohio, assignor toStandard-Thomson Corporation, Daytonhio, a corporation .of DelawareApplication May 26, 1948, ,Serial No. 29,292

This invention relates to a mounting for a rotatably adjustable spotlight.

One object of the invention is to .provide such a mounting which is ofan efhcient and durable construction and is easily operable toaccurately adjust the lamp.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mounting in whichthe relatively movable parts thereof and the connections between theysame are simple in construction, positive in operation and not liable todisarrangement in service.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mounting in whichthe electrical connections between the relatively movable parts of thelamp circuit are of a direct, positive character and not easilydisarranged.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mounting in whichthe circuit controlling switch is mounted in the handle in directengagement with a contact on the lamp adjusting shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficientswitch adapted to be mounted in the handle and to be easily actuatedfrom the exterior of the handle.

Other objects of the invention may appear as the invention is describedin detail.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, of a mounting embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view of a portion of the mounting; Fig. 3 is a section takenon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a switch;Fig. 5 is a section taken through the switch on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;Fig. G is a section taken on the line 6 5 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a groupview showing in perspective the disassembled parts Of .the switch; Fig.8 is a group view showing in perspective the disassembled parts of arotary contact member; and Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 2. i

- In the drawings I have illustrated oney embodiment of the inventionand hav-e shown the mounting as comprising a tubular supportingvstructure, herein called a bracket, and including a rear portion It anda forward portion II. The

rear portion is provided with a base I2 adapted to be attached by meansof screws i3 or the like to a relatively fixed support, such as therearwardly inclined side frame member of the windshield of anautomobile, as indicated by the line It. In the present instance themounting is adapted to support the lamp for rotation both about an axistransverse to the bracket and about the longitudinal axis of thebracket. To

permit the rotation of the lamp about theA 1onf, thereon by a snap ring23.

s claims. (o1. 24o-61.13)A

gitudlnal axis the forward portion it of the bracket is separate fromand is rotatably connected with the rear portion Il), as by a sleeve I5rigidly mounted in the rear portion of the 5;. bracket and projectinginto and supporting the forward portion thereof for rotation withrelation to said r-ear portion.

The forwardly extendingportion II of the bracket is provided adjacentits forward end 10. with a transverse opening I6 in one wall thereof andin which is mounted a suitable bearing Il, :here shown as screw threadedinto the opening. Rotatably mounted in the bearing is a tubular stud, orshort shaft, I8, which is preferl5 ably provided with an outwardlyfacing shoulet and extends through an opening in the lamp casing 20which preferably rests upon a spacing element 2Ir supported on the outerend of the bearing II. A collar` 22 is mounted about the stud I8 withinthe lamp casing and is retained A coil spring 24 is confined between thecollar 22 and the wall of the casing so that the spring tends to urgethe tubular stud outwardly and maintain the shoulder thereof in contactwith the bearing, thus preventing vibration and rattling whilepermitting free rotation of the lamp. A metallic plate 2E is interposedbetween the spring and the wall of the casing and a conductor 26 isconnected with this plate and thus grounded, the other end of theconductor 26 being connected with one of the terminals of the lamp bulbor sealed unit 2l. A conductor 28 connected with the other terminal ofthe lamp bulb extends through the tubular stud and is connected at itsinn-er end with a con- 403, tact member 29 mounted in an insulatingsleeve 30 in the lower end of the stud and axially movable therein.

An elongate tubular member 3| is mounted in the bracket, extendsrearwardly therefrom and -y is rigidly connected at its forward end withthe fixed sleeve I5 and at its rear end with a part 32 of a handle 32',said part having therein a cavity 33. The handle is rotatable withrelation to the `-member 3l about the axis of the latter but I itsrotation is frictionally resisted, as by a clampy member 3| and spacedtherefrom is an inner tu- 3 bular member 36 the forward end of which isrigidly mounted in a bushing 31, as by soldering, the bushing being hereshown as screw threaded into the forward portion of the rotatable partII of the bracket, the bushing and the tubular member 3`I being lockedagainst rotation as by a set screw 38. The rear end of the member 36extends into the cavity 33 in the handle and is rigidly secured to thelatter by a set screw 39. Rotatably mounted Within the inner tubularmember 36 is a tubular shaft 48 which extends through said member andbeyond both ends thereof. The forward end of the tubular shaft isdrivingly connected with the rotatable tubular stud I8. This connectionmay be of any suitable character but preferably it includes the beveledgear 4I which is rigid with, and in the present instance is formedintegral with, the inner end of the tubular stud I8, and a beveled gear42 meshing with the gear 4I, rigidly secured to the forward end of theshaft 48 and having its rear surface abutting against and rotatable withrelation to the forward end of the inner tubular member 36. The rear endportion of the tubular shaft v 46 extends through the cavity 33 and issecured to a beveled gear 43 for rotation therewith, the gear having ahub portion rotatably mounted in a bearing 44 in the handle. The handleincludes a rotatable part which is here shown as a hand grip 45rotatably connected with the forward portion 32 of the handle and havingsecured thereto a beveled gear 46 which meshes with the beveled gear 43.Thus the rotation of the rotatable part 45 of the handle about itsindividual axis will rotate the shaft 40 and the tubular stud I8 andthus move the lamp about an axis transverse to the axis of the shaft.The rotatable part of the handle extends at an angle to the tubularmembers and may be utilized to rotate the part 32 of the handle withrelation to the stationary outer tubular member 3l, against the frictionof the clamp 34, and thus rotate the tubular member 36 and the forwardrotatable portion II of the bracket, and thereby rotate the lamp bodilyabout the longitudinal axis of the bracket. Usually it is desirable tolimit the rotation of the lamp about the longitudinal axis of thebracket@4 For this purpose the rotatableA part II of the bracket isprovided with an inwardly extending lug I I' and the forward end of thefixed sleeve I5, which in effect constitutes an extension of the outertubular member 3|, is recessed to receive the lug II', the longitudinaledge Walls of the recess forming spaced stops I in the path of the- Aconductor 41 extends through the tubular shaft 40, is insulatedtherefrom by a tube 48 of insulating material, and is connected at itsforward end with a rotatable contact memberL 49, which as here showncomprises an enlarged end portion of a short conducting tube 50, therear portion of which extends through the beveled gear 42, and isrigidly secured to the gear andthe forward end of the shaft 40. Thediameter of the enlarged portion of the contact member 49 is such thatit rotates in contact with the contact member 29 in the tubular stud I8,a spring 5I acting on the insulating bushing 30 to maintain the contact29 in engagement with the rotatable contact 49. At its rear end theshaft 48 extends into the cavity 33 and has connected therewith andinsulated therefrom a rotatable contact member. In the presentconstruction this contact member comprises a spool-like body ofinsulating material 52, Fig'. 8, having a longitudinal slot 52' andhaving parallel openings 53 through which eX- tend the bifurcated endportions 54 of the shaft. Mounted about the sleeve of insulatingmaterial is a band 55 of conducting material, the ends 56 of which arebent into the slot 52 and between the bifurcated portions of the shaftat one side of the latter. The rear end of the conductor 41 extendsthrough a central opening in the spool A52 Aand is bent laterally intothe end of the slot 52' and then forwardly between the inturned ends 56of the band and is rigidly secured to the latter,

as by soldering, as shown at 51, the arrangement being such that theouter surface of the part 51 of the conductor is substantially flushwith the cylindrical surface of the band. The bifurcated end portion ofthe shaft extends beyond the rotatable contact member 55 and into thehub of the gear 43 and is connected with the hub for rotation therewithby a pin 58 extending through the hub and between the two arms of thebifurcated portion of the shaft.

Mounted in the cavity 33 in the handle is a switch which, in the formhere shown, comprises a casing of insulating material formed in twoparts 59 and 66 shaped to fit into the cavity 33 immediately below therotatable contact 5f. Mounted in the lower portion of the body 59 of thecasing is a conducting member 6I having means, such as a looped portion62, by which it may be connected with a conductor 63 leading to a sourceof current exterior of the handle. The connecting member 6I is bentabout a raised portion 64 of the bottom wall of the part 59 of thecasing and has a flat upper surface. The bottom wall of the part 60 ofthe switch casing is provided with a raised portion 65 the flat uppersurface of which is substantially in the plane of the upper surface ofthe conducting member 6I. Mounted in the casing is a second conductingmember 66 of resilient material, bent upon itself to substantiallyV-shape and having a lower portion 61 of a width approximating the Widthof the space between the upright side walls of the casing and arrangedimmediately above but out of contact with the conducting member 6I. Theupper portion 68 of the member 66 constitutes a brush to engage therotatable contact member 55, is relatively narrow and preferably has itsend turned downwardly slightly as shown at 59. The side walls of thecasing, which are preferably molded from plastic material, are providedwith projections, one of which is shown at10, and which project into thespaces between the lower part 61 of the member 66 and forwardlyextending inclined fingers 61 to support the member 66 in a position inwhich the upper part of finger 68 extends through an opening in the topwall of' the casing and into engagement with the rotatable contact band55 on the shaft, and with the lower portion 61 substantially parallelwith and spaced from the surface of the fixed con tact member 6I and theparts 64 and 65 of the casing. Slidably supported in the casing betweenthe side walls thereof is a member adapted Ato be moved into and out ofa position between the conducting members 6I and 61 and to thus estab--lish or interrupt the electrical contact between the same and close oropen the lamp circuit. As here shown a block shaped structure 'H ofinsulating material is slidably mounted in the casing and has arelatively thin portion l2 adapted to slide into and out of the spacebetween the meinbers 6I and 67. The part 12 has an opening 'i3therethrough in which is supported a rotatable contact member Ill, suchas a brass ball, of such a diameter that when the block 'H is moved inone direction the spherical member will move between the members 6I and61 and will be held in firm contact therewith by the resiliency or" themember 6l and thus close the circuit through the lamp. When moved in theother direction the ball will move off the contact member 6l and intoengagement with the non-conducting part 65 of the casing and will beheld thereon by the part 61 of the member 68, and the circuit will beopened. Preferably the part 61 has a depressed portion 15 which servesto prevent the free movement of the device I I 'M and suicient pressuremust be exerted thereon to cause the member 61 to yield before thecontact member 14 can be moved from one position to the other position.Sliding movement may be imparted to the block 'Il in any suitable mannerbut in the present instance a push bar 'I6 extends through openings 'Viin the side Walls of the handle and through recesses 18 in the rearedges of the side walls of the switch casing and is so connected withthe block 'H that the latter will slide therewith, as by providing theblock with a recess E9 to receive a part 8l! of the push bar which is ofreduced thickness and which provides shoulders on the opposite sides ofthe block 'Il to cause it to move with the push bar. The push bar is ofsuch length that one or the other of the ends thereof will at all timesproject beyond the handle so that the switch can be operated from theexterior of the handle. Thus it will be seen that the switch is inconstant engagement with the rotatable contact on the shaft and that thelamp circuit is maintained closed in all rotary positions of the lampabout either an axis transverse to the supporting bracket or about anaxis extending lengthwise of the bracket.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wishit to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the detailsthereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in theart.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mounting for a spot light, a lamp supporting structure, a handleconnected with and extending rearwardly from said structure, havingtherein a cavity and having a rotatable part, a tubular lamp adjustingshaft rotatable in said structure and extending through said cavity, acontact member secured to and extending circumferentially about an.intermediate portion of said shaft in said cavity and insulated fromsaid shaft, a conductor connected with said contact member and extendingthrough said tubular shaft to connect said contact member With a lampsupported on said structure, a gear ro- 6 tatably supported in saidhandle and drivingly connected with said shaft in the rear of saidcontact member, a second gear in said handle meshing with the firstmentioned gear and drivingly connected with said rotatable part of saidhandle,

and a switch mounted in said cavity having a part to yieldably engagesaid contact member and having means operable from the exterior of saidhandle to connect said part of said switch with and disconnect the samefrom a source of electric current.

2. In a mounting for a spot light, a lamp supporting structure, a handleconnected with and extending rearwardly from said structure, said handlehaving therein a cavity and a bearing at the rear end of said cavity, arearwardly facing gear rotatably supported in said bearing, a tubularlamp adjusting shaft extending through said supporting structure andsaid cavity and CAZ connected with said gear for rotation thereby, asubstantially cylindrical insulating member on said shaft in saidcavity, a band of conducting material extending about and supported onsaid insulating member, a conductor connected with said band andextending through said shaft to connect said band with a lamp on saidsupporting structure, a conducting member engaging said band, meansoperable by the hand which grasps said handle to connect said conductingmember with a source of electric current, and a second gear in saidhandle meshing with the first mentioned gear, said handle having arotatable part operatively connected With said second gear.

3. In a mounting for a spot light, a lamp supporting structure, a handlecomprising a part supported byv said structure, and having a cavitytherein, and a rotatable part, a tubular lamp adjusting shaft rotatablein said structure and having a bifurcated rear end portion extendinginto the cavity in said handle, an insulating member on said shafthaving openings through which the arms of said bifurcated portionextend, a conducting band extending about said insulating member androtatable therewith, a conductor connected with said band and extendingthrough said shaft to connect said band with a lamp supported by saidstructure, a switch in said cavity including a contact member having apart engaging said band, a second contact member and a device operablefrom the exterior of said handle for electrically connecting saidcontact members, and means for drivingly connecting the rotatable partof said handle with said shaft in the rear of said insulating member.

PAUL F. EARLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,702,772 Gross Feb. 19, 19291,747,739 Sklarek 1 Feb. 18, 1930 1,756,531 Aldeen et al. Apr. 29, 19301,921,784 Sklarek Aug. 8, 1933

